Ben Cook (actor)

Benjamin Cook

Benjamin Cook in January 2012
Born Benjamin Tyler Cook
(1997-12-11) December 11, 1997
Eden, North Carolina
Occupation Actor, dancer, singer
Years active 2007–present
Known for Ragtime
Billy Elliot the Musical
Newsies the Musical
Tuck Everlasting

Benjamin Tyler Cook (born December 11, 1997)[1][2][3] is an American actor, dancer and singer.

Early life

Cook was born in Eden, North Carolina. He grew up in New York City, Bethesda, Maryland and Lorton, Virginia.[4] He is the youngest child of Jill and Glenn Cook. His mother is an assistant director[5] for the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). His father is an award-winning freelance writer,[6] photographer,[7] publishing consultant[8] and blogger.[9]

Career

Cook is best known for his musical theatre roles. He made his Broadway debut in Ragtime, at the Neil Simon Theatre, understudying and performing the role of "Edgar (the little boy)". He performed in several productions at both Ford's Theatre and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in Washington, D.C.[10] Cook then returned to Broadway, in the role of "Tall Boy", in Billy Elliot the Musical, at the Imperial Theatre, and played the roles of "Michael", then "Billy", in the North American National Tour of the production. His final tour performance as "Billy" was in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 19, 2013.[11] After that, he toured for a year and a half in the role of "Race" and occasionally performed the role of "Crutchie," as the understudy, in the First National tour of Newsies the Musical.[12]

On television, Cook has appeared as "Young Jack" to Alec Baldwin's "Jack Donaghy", on 30 Rock, in the episode entitled, "Chain Reaction of Mental Anguish;"[13] as well as appearances, as Walt, in the episode of the HBO series, Veep, entitled "The Choice"[14] and "Chapter 27", as Heather Dunbar's son on the Netflix series, House of Cards.[15]

On January 15, 2016, it was announced that on January 31, 2016, after over 500 performances, Cook would leave the national tour of "Newsies" to become a member of the original Broadway cast of the new musical,"Tuck Everlasting," based on the 1975 children's novel, Tuck Everlasting, written by Natalie Babbitt. Previews began on March 31, 2016 at the Broadhurst Theatre,[16] with the show opening on April 26, 2016.[17]

Theatre

Theatre
Date Title Role Theatre Note
November 16, 2007 -
December 30, 2007
A Christmas Carol
Tiny Tim[18]
Ford's Theatre
Washington D.C.
February 28, 2008 -
April 13, 2008
Macbeth
Young Macduff[19]
Folger Shakespeare Library
December 2, 2008 -
December 28, 2008
A Christmas Carol
Urchin, Ignorance, Turkey Boy
Ford's Theatre
("A Christmas Carol" played at Ford's)
Lansburgh Theatre[20]
February 3, 2009 -
March 8, 2009
The Heavens Are Hung in Black
Tad Lincoln[21]
April 18, 2009 -
May 17, 2009
Ragtime
Understudy: Edgar (The little boy)[22]
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
November 15, 2009 -
January 10, 2010
Understudy: Edgar (The little boy)[23][24]
Neil Simon Theatre
Broadway
March 12, 2010 -
April 4, 2010
The Golden Age
The Page[25]
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington D.C.
July 7, 2010 -
October 14, 2011
Billy Elliot the Musical
Tall/Posh Boy,
Understudy: Michael[26]
Imperial Theatre
Broadway
November 3, 2011 -
January 22, 2012
Michael[27]
National Tour
National Tour
June 30, 2012 -
May 19, 2013
Billy[28]
October 11, 2014 -
January 31, 2016
Newsies the Musical
Race, Understudy: Crutchie[29]
Previews began:
March 31, 2016 -
Opened:
April 26, 2016
[30][31]
Tuck Everlasting
Ensemble, Understudy: Jesse Tuck, Hugo[32]
Broadhurst Theatre
Broadway

Television

Television
Year Title Role Episode Original Air date Network
2010
30 Rock
Young Jack[18]
"Chain Reaction of Mental Anguish"
December 2, 2010
NBC
2013
House of Cards
Heather Dunbar's son[18]
""Chapter 27"
February 27, 2015
Netflix
2014
Veep
Walt[18]
""The Choice"
April 13, 2014
HBO

Awards

Theatre
Year Award Category Result Production Theatre
2012
Helen Hayes Award
Outstanding Supporting Performer, Non-Resident Production
 Nominated[33]
Billy Elliot the Musical
The Kennedy Center

Awards

In 2012, Cook received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for his work in the role of "Billy" in Billy Elliot the Musical.[33]

Personal life

Benjamin Cook is the youngest of Jill and Glenn Cook's children. He has three siblings.

Nicholas Cook, his older, half brother,[34] is a May 2015 graduate of Elon University, in Elon, North Carolina, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts.[35] In 2015, Nicholas made his Carnegie Hall debut, performing in Elon's a cappella singing group, "Vital Signs."[36] He is currently an admissions counselor at his alma mater.[37]

Older sister Kate,[34] is a June 2015 graduate of Mount Vernon High School in Alexandria, Virginia,[38] lives with ADHD/bipolar disorder and resides in Tampa, Florida[39] Emma, by one minute an older twin sister,[34] is also a trained dancer and a high school student.[34]

Another "adopted sibling" is Jeremiah Porter, another young dancer who is also a part of their extended family, as the Cooks previously acted in loco parentis.[40] Like Benjamin, he studied at the Metropolitan School of the Arts in Lorton, Virginia[41] and New York City's Professional Performing Arts School,[42]

The Cook family home remains in Lorton, Virginia.[43]

References

  1. ↑ Benjamin Cook. Performer Playbill. 2016; retrieved February 12, 2015.
  2. ↑ Benjamin Cook Theatre Credits BroadwayWorld.com. Copyright Wisdom Digital Media. 2016; retrieved February 12, 2015.
  3. ↑ Benjamin Cook profile, imdb.com; retrieved February 12, 2015
  4. ↑ Growing Up "Normal", glenncook.virb.com; retrieved October 18, 2015.
  5. ↑ About ASCA. Contact Us, schoolcounselor.org; retrieved May 23, 2015.
  6. ↑ Award Winners, glenncook.virb.com; retrieved May 23, 2015.
  7. ↑ Glenn Cook Photography Glenn Cook Photography; retrieved May 23, 2015.
  8. ↑ About Me. A Biography in 178 Words, glenncook.virb.com; retrieved May 23, 2015.
  9. ↑ Glenn Cook: Words, Photos, glenncook.virb.com; retrieved May 23, 2015.
  10. ↑ Benjamin Cook Internet Broadway Database; retrieved April 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Meet Billy Elliot: Ben Cook", TheSkyKid.com; retrieved January 30, 2016.
  12. ↑ Disney NEWSIES official website; retrieved April 15, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Chain Reaction of Mental Anguish", imdb.com; retrieved April 15, 2015.
  14. ↑ Ben on HBO's "Veep", glenncook.virb.com; retrieved April 30, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Ben Cook on 'House of Cards'”, kids-on-tour.net Kids on Tour; retrieved April 30, 2015.
  16. ↑ Tuck Everlasting Begins Broadway Previews Today Robert Viagas. Playbill. Mar 31, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2016
  17. ↑ Broadway Premiere of Tuck Everlasting Sets Complete Cast, Broadway.com, January 15, 2016; retrieved February 9, 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Ponick, Terry (January 9, 2012). "Ben Cook – talented young DC area performer is outstanding supporting player in Billy Elliot". Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Macbeth Run Extended at Folger Theatre". Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  20. ↑ Full Cast Set for A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theatre, theatermania.com, November 10, 2008; retrieved January 31, 2016.
  21. ↑ FORD’S THEATRE REOPENS WITH A WORLD PREMIERE OF THE HEAVENS ARE HUNG IN BLACK Fords Theatre Heavens Release, January 30, 2009; retrieved February 9, 2016.
  22. ↑ "RAGTIME to Be Filmed January 8 for Lincoln Center Archives". Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  23. ↑ "Photo Flash: RAGTIME Plays Final Show on Broadway January 10". Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  24. ↑ "Benjamin Cook". Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  25. ↑ "Walter Bobbie Directs GOLDEN AGE At The Kennedy Center 3/12-4/4". Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  26. ↑ "Cast list for Billy Elliot at the Imperial Theatre". Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  27. ↑ Katzarova, Ekaterina (January 22, 2012). "Billy Elliot comes to Cincy". Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  28. ↑ "Ben Cook and Noah Parets Join BILLY ELLIOT's National Tour". May 19, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  29. ↑ "Seize the Day!: National Tour of Disney's Newsies Launches Today". October 11, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  30. ↑ "Broadway Premiere of 'Tuck Everlasting' Sets Complete Cast", Broadway.com, January 15, 2016; retrieved February 9, 2016.
  31. ↑ Tuck Everlasting Opens on Broadway Tonight Robert Viagas. Playbill. April 26, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2016
  32. ↑ Benjamin Cook Playbill. 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2016
  33. 1 2 Lehman, Daniel. "Helen Hayes Award Nominees Announced". Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  34. 1 2 3 4 The Last 5 Years: Our Reality Show, glenncook.virb.com; retrieved May 23, 2015.
  35. ↑ Nick Cook. About Me, nick-cook-design.com; retrieved May 23, 2015.
  36. ↑ Elon a cappella group invited to perform at Carnegie Hall, Elon.edu, May 21, 2014; retrieved May 23, 2015.
  37. ↑ Full-Time Administrative Staff Elon University; retrieved October 18, 2015
  38. ↑ Graduation Day!, glenncook.virb.com; retrieved June 20, 2015
  39. ↑ Fly Away Home Blog: Our Reality Show. Glenn Cook: Words and Photos. September 1, 2015; retrieved September 20, 2015
  40. ↑ Daily Photo: February 14, 2015, glenncook.virb.com, February 14, 2015; retrieved May 23, 2015.
  41. ↑ Year One: A Video Photo Essay Glenn Cook: Words, Photos. Glenn Cook. 2013. Retrieved July 22, 2015
  42. ↑ Jeremiah Glenn Cook: Words, Photos. Glenn Cook. 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2015
  43. ↑ METROPOLITAN SCHOOL of the ARTS’ STUDENT to PERFORM in DISNEY’s NEWSIES at NATIONAL THEATRE WUSA9.com; retrieved May 23, 2015

External links

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